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W. R. FOWLER.

' ROPE RAILWAY. No. 330,106. Patented Nov. 10, 1885..

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W. R. FOWLER.

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W. R. FOWLER. ROPE RAILWAY.

No. 330,106. Patented Nov. 10, 1885.

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ROPE RAILWAY.

Pa tented Nov. 10, 1885..

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\VILLIAM' It. FOIVLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB 'IO LEWIS J. MYERS, OF SAME PLACE.

soPE RAILWAY;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,106, dated November 10, 1885.

Application filed September '1, 1885. Serial No. 176,363.

To aZZ. whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM It. Fowmama citizen of the United States, residing in Phila delphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Rope Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of wirerope railways inwhich the receptacle is hung pulley andits hanger, with part of the rope and a supportingwheel therefor; Fig. 3, a side view of the take-up and carrier pulley at the outer end of the rope,withone of the receptacles; Fig. 4, a side View of one of the brackets for the supporting-pulleys, with one of the receptacles in end view; Fig. 5, a plan view of the take-up and carrier pulley and devices connected therewith; Fig. 6, a perspective view of part of one of the receptacles; Figs. 7 and 8, enlarged views of parts of the wheels employed; Figs. 9 and 10, (1iagrams showing the method of changing the course of the rope; Fig. 11, adiagram showing a duplex driving system, and Fig. 12 a view showing a modification of the invention.

It may be stated at the outset that,while my invention is applicable to rope railways for various purposes, it has been devised especially for use in stores for the purpose of carry-v ing parcels and cash. from the counters to a central compartment, where the cash-is received and the parcel wrapped up, the

wrapped parcel, with the change, if any, be-

ing then returned to the counter from which it was sent.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a diagram of a system in accordance with my invention, Abeing a driving-pulley at the central station, this (No model.)

pulley being grooved for the reception of a series of endless belts, a, four beingshown-in the present instance, which belts are carried at the outer ends by suitable pulleys, B, so that each belt forms a conveyer from a counter to the central station and from said station back to the'counter.

The driving=pulley A (shown in Fig. 2) is secured to a shaft, D, adapted to bearings in a frame, E, and provided with a beltpulley, F, which may be located adjacent to the drivingpulley, as shown, or may be in the room or apartment above or below that in which the pulley A is located, as convenience may suggest. Each of the carrying-pulleys B at the outer end of theline turns on a pin, 9, carried by a yoke, G, to which is connected one end of a coiled spring, i, the other end of the latter being connected to a rope or chain, d,which is wound upon the barrel of a Windlass, J, the shaft of the latter being adapted to bearings in a bracket, H, and being squared at one end for the reception of a suitable wrench or handle, whereby the cord cl may be wound upon the barrel of the Windlass, and tension thus imparted to the endless rope a, a pivoted pawl, h, being adapted to a ratchet-wheel, 70, on the Windlass, so as to prevent the unwinding of the rope from the latter. The yoke G might be connected directly to the rope d,- but the use of the spring t is preferred, as tending to prevent excessive strain upon the endless rope a by the action of the Windlass. 'Ihe yoke G has opposite projecting arms, f, each carrying grooved wheels I for the reception and support of the rope a at points adjacent to the pulley l3, and at suitable intervals along the line said rope a is supported by similar pulleys I, hung to brackets L, which are secured to any available support in the room or apartment in which the line is erected.

The receptacle in which the load is to be conveyed consists in the present instance of an open basket, M, having near each end a frame, N, these frames being properly stayed by 1ongitudinal rods m, and each frame carrying at the upper end a grooved wheel, P. Each of the frames is open at one side, so that the receptacle can be adjusted to such position that the wheels P are directly above the rope a, the receptacle being then lowered until the wheels rest upon the rope, when the forward movement of the receptacle will be dependent upon the frictional contact of the wheels 1? with the rope.

When thereceptacle is first hung upon the rope, the wheels 1? will be rotated; but as the inertia of the receptacle is overcome and said receptacle moves forward the speed of rotation of the wheels will decrease until the speed of movement of the receptacle equals that of the belt.

The use of the wheels 1? is an important feature of my invention, as it permits the starting of the receptacle slowly, and a gradual increase in the speed of movement, so as to prevent any sudden strain upon the parts, tending to cause irregularity in the movement of the same, and also prevents the imparting of asudden jerk to the receptacle, which would have a tendency to dislodge its contents. In this respect my invention differs materially from rope railways in which. the receptacle has a rigid friction-shoe for resting upon the endless rope.

In order to stop the receptacle before the same reaches the drivingpulley or carrierpulley of theendless rope, I use buffers tosuch, for instance, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and by dotted lines in Fig. 2these bufi'ers being preferably clothed with rubber or other elastic material to prevent jar when the receptacle strikes the same. The wheels I of the receptacle ride over the supporting-wheels I as the receptacle moves forward, and in order to prevent lateral displacement of the wheels the wheels P of the receptacle have flaring grooves, and the supporting-wheels I have beveled peripheries adapted to these grooves, both sets of wheels being clothed with rubber or other elastic material, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, so as to lessen the noise and prevent the jarring of the receptacle when passing the supporting-wheels. The driving and carrier pulleys for the endless rope are also by preference clothed with rubber to reduce the noise. The frames N of the receptacle are such as to partly embrace the supportingwheels, as shown in Fig. 4, and thus prevent the lateral swinging of the receptacle as it passes the supports; and in order to properly center the receptacle as it approaches a supporting-wheel the front ends of two of the stay-rods m m are projected and bent outward so as to form a flaring guide, as shown in Fig. 6.

To prevent the wheels of the receptacle from jumping from the supporting-wheels when passing the same, I provide each frame N with a plate, a, which, by contact with the supporting-pulley I, will limit the vertical movement of the frame.

Instead of using the short plates shown in the drawings,a plate extending from one frame to the other may be employed, if desired.

It may be advisable in some cases to limit the freedom of movement of the wheels P of the receptacle, and in such cases I employ a friction-spring, 19, carried by one of thestayrods m and bearing upon the side of the wheel, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6.

If desired, the driving-shaft may have more than one driving-pulley, as shown, for'instance, in Fig. 11, these pulleys being at such distance apart that the receptacles traveling on theupper system of ropes will be clear of the lower system.

When it is desired to deflect the endless rope from a straight course, I employ guide reels S, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, these reels receptacle with a frame carrying the wheel or 7 wheels and open on one side for the entrance of the rope, as by this means the center of gravity of the receptacle is directly beneath the rope.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of an endless rope and mechanism for driving the same with a receptacle carrying a supporting wheel or wheels adapted to rest upon'said rope, as set forth.

2. The combination of the receptacle having a supporting wheel or wheels with the end:

less rope, its pulleys, and supporting-wheels for-said rope, as set forth.

3. The combination of the endless rope and its pulleys with beveled supporting-wheels for the rope and a receptacle having a wheel or wheels grooved for the reception of said supportingwheels, as set forth.

4. The combination of the endless rope and its pulleys, the rope-supporting wheels having beveled peripheries, and the receptacles having supporting-wheels with grooved peripheries, the peripheries of both sets of wheels being composed of rubber or other elastic material, as set forth.

5. The receptacle having a supporting wheel or wheels and a friction-brake therefor, as specified.

6. The combination of the endless rope, the driving-pulley, the take-up pulley and its yoke, and a tension-rope connected to said yoke and to a Windlass, as set forth.

7. The combination of the endless rope, the driving-pulley, the take-up pulley and the yoke, the Windlass, the tension-rope, and a spring connected to said rope and to the yoke,

as set forth.

8. The combination of the endless rope, the take-up pulley, the supportingwheels adjacent thereto, and a yoke forming bearings for both the pulley and wheels, as set forth.

9. The combination of the endless rope and its pulleys, the receptacles having supportingwheels adapted to the rope, and stops for arresting the receptacles before they reach the pulleys, as set forth.

10. The combination of the endless rope, its pulleys, and supportingwheels, with receptacles having supportingwheels for resting upon said rope, and stops whereby the supportingwheels of the receptacles are prevented from jumping when passing the supporting-wheels of the rope, all substantially as specified.

11. The combination of the endless rope, its pulleys, and supporting-wheels, with receptacles having supporting-wheels, and projecting guide-rods serving to center the receptacle as it approaches the rope-supporting wheels, as set forth.

12. The combination of the endless rope, its pulleys, and supporting-wheels, with receptacles having frames constructed to partially embrace the lower portions of the rope-supporting wheels, as specified.

13. The combination of a driving-shaft, a multiple-grooved driving-pulley thereon, a series of endless belts, each adapted to one of the grooves of the driving-pulley, and a series of outer'carrier-pulleys, one for each rope, all substantially as specified.

14. The combination of the endless rope and pulleys at opposite ends of the line with intermediate reels providing a lateral bearing for the rope, each reel consisting of a hub free to turn at all times upon its axial shaft, and having projecting arms, the ends of which form bearings for the rope, all substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. R. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM F. DAVIS, HARRY SMITH. 

